When Rachel Smith was born in 1711, in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, her father, James Smith, was 43 and her mother, Elizabeth Holbrook, was 38. She married Peter Bicknell on 13 September 1733. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 3 daughters. She died on 10 December 1786, in Barrington, Bristol, Rhode Island, United States, at the age of 75, and was buried in Princes Hill Cemetery, Barrington, Bristol, Rhode Island, United States.
Do you know Rachel? Do you have a story about her that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
+4 More Children
+4 More Children
Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence endorsed by Congress. Colonies declare independence.
Rhode Island declares independence from Great Britain on May 4, 1776, making it the first colony to do so officially.
English and Scottish: occupational name denoting a worker in metal, especially iron, such as a blacksmith or farrier, from Middle English smith ‘smith’ (Old English smith, probably a derivative of smītan ‘to strike, hammer’). Early examples are also found in the Latin form Faber . Metal-working was one of the earliest occupations for which specialist skills were required, and its importance ensured that this term and its equivalents in other languages were the most widespread of all occupational surnames in Europe. Medieval smiths were important not only in making horseshoes, plowshares, and other domestic articles, but above all for their skill in forging swords, other weapons, and armor. This is also the most frequent of all surnames in the US. It is very common among African Americans and Native Americans (see also 5 below). This surname (in any of the two possible English senses; see also below) is also found in Haiti. See also Smither .
English: from Middle English smithe ‘smithy, forge’ (Old English smiththe). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived in or by a blacksmith's shop, occupational, for someone who worked in one, or habitational, from a place so named, such as Smitha in King's Nympton (Devon). Compare Smithey .
Irish and Scottish: sometimes adopted for Gaelic Mac Gobhann, Irish Mac Gabhann ‘son of the smith’. See McGowan .
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related NamesThe book "My ancestors; a memorial of John Paine and Mary Ann May of East Woodstock, Conn.," by Lyman May Paine (Privately printed, 1916), pp. 45-46: "James Smith, son and only child of Joshua Smith a …
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.